


After the Rain

by StarrySkies282



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-02-28
Packaged: 2018-09-27 12:49:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10021427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarrySkies282/pseuds/StarrySkies282
Summary: So, this is my first Fantastic Beasts fanfic, I hope you guys enjoy x





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first Fantastic Beasts fanfic, I hope you guys enjoy x

They stood there staring, until he was out of sight, but not, by any means, out of mind. Newt cleared his throat gruffly and rubbed his eyes, blinking rapidly in the grey dawn. Tina maintained a look of pure distress, her cheeks damp with tears, thinking of Credence being obliterated and Jacob having to go. She still gripped her sister’s hand tightly, and her sister gripped back, as though to a life line. Queenie just stared off into the distance leaning against her sister for support, her usually bright eyes clouded over, tear tracks down her face. _Why?_

“Come on now, Ms Goldsteins,” said Newt finally, breaking the silence and steering them both out into the rain, Queenie still leaning on Tina, face now buried into the dark fabric of her sister’s coat. None of them even bothered to conjure an umbrella—they were too grief stricken to think of such trivial things. The walk, which although was only minutes, seemed to take hours owing to the heavy silence, and, by the time they reached the Goldstein apartment, they were all drenched.

Newt cast a drying charm on all of them to which Queenie responded to with a glance back before retreating to the bedroom. Her eyes said it all. Tina, at a loss with how to cope with the situation, began busying herself with tidying the apartment. By this time, Newt felt it would be prudent to leave the two alone, and besides, he needed to be alone himself, so he disappeared into his case, which closed softly behind him.

Now Tina stood alone in the dimly lit kitchen, trying to gather her thoughts. A boy had been killed, Grindelwald captured and Jacob had to say goodbye. She exhaled deeply, and did the only thing she could think of to perhaps ease the situation slightly: cocoa. For want of something to do, she made it by hand, without magic. Leaving hers and Newt’s mug on the counter, she picked up Queenie’s and walked tentatively to the bedroom door and knocked. No answer. Well, really, what else did she expect? Pushing open the door, in the half light, she could just make out Queenie’s curled up figure, her blonde curls everywhere, just lying there, staring, eyes puffy. It hurt Tina's heart.

“Hey,” said Tina, perching on the end of the bed.

Queenie was clutching the sheets. “They smell of him” replied Queenie smiling weakly, by way of explanation. It hurt. At least that proved she could still read peoples’ thoughts.

“Oh… well, I thought I'd bring you some cocoa”

“Thanks. Hey sit a lil closer… it's cold in here”

Tina edged further up the bed and put her arms around her younger sister.

“I promised mum and dad I'd always keep you safe, out of trouble and make sure you never come to any harm and now…” Tina broke off, her voice becoming shaky.

“You have, Teen, you couldn't have protected me from this… it's just the downside to having a functioning heart. In any case, I'm a big girl now. We have to take care of each other, like we promised when we were kids. Together. I just wish it didn't have to be this way”

“So do I, but hey, maybe one day…”

“Yeah, maybe” sniffed Queenie as Tina caught her up in a tight embrace and held her there. Just the two of them, in emotional solidarity. No words were needed.

“You feel a bit better now?”

_That was a stupid question._

Queenie just shrugged.

“Do you want to come out or stay here?”

“I'll stay here for now if that's alright with you.”

“Sure. Just call if you need anything.”

With that, Tina left the room with a heavy heart, looking back only to see Queenie clutching the sheets to her cheeks and staring vacantly into the distance. The rain still poured outside.

****

Tina spied Newt’s case on the floor of their combined sitting room and knew where he had gone. _Probably can't handle this anymore than I can._

Well, she could hardly stay alone now, she would end up over thinking what had just happened, as she was prone to. She rapped smartly on the battered, weather-beaten leather case and waited for a response. Sure enough, the catch flipped, the lid opened and Newt emerged, somewhat dishevelled, coat off and shirt untucked. He winced as he raised his arm to open the case. He was still sore and bruised from the whole Grindelwald ordeal.

“I thought you might like some cocoa, to warm you up and all,” said Tina, holding up a mug, trying to appear as casual as she could be in this situation “That would be wonderful,” replied Newt, graciously accepting the mug and perching on the arm of the couch. Tina sat in the armchair. “How's Queenie doing?” Asked Newt politely, but knowing the answer. Tina blinked back tears and had to steady her voice before she began.

“She's really taken the hit hard, I don't think the pain will ever completely leave her, she seems inconsolable right now, but it may lessen with time… I hope. I just wish it wasn't this way. That Rappaport’s law didn't exist or was revoked—” Tina broke off suddenly, overcome with emotion for her sister and put her head in her hands.

Newt stared at her momentarily, marvelling at her compassion and empathy before stretching out his hand slightly hesitantly, wanting to comfort her and help her, as though she were one of his creatures. Before he knew it, he was stroking her tousled brown hair, just making sure she was all right. He saw the way Tina put her sister before herself, and he knew she was hurting just the same. They sat like this for a while until Tina sat up and Newt retracted his hand as though burnt.

“I'm so sorry, Tina, that was rather too forward of me,” he said, embarrassed, red creeping across his pale face.

“Don't be, it’s just that… I’m supposed to be strong for Queenie…but I’m not… I _have_ to take care of her.”

Newt shook his head as though trying to get rid of a fly. “That’s absurd, Tina. Listen to me now, you are strong, one of the strongest people I have ever met, but there are times when it is hard, and that’s all right. It will get better with time, you just need to get this out of yourself now.”

He didn’t have the heart to tell her that he was leaving tomorrow. Not when she was like this. At a loss, he stood up and began to awkwardly pace the room. He was never good around human emotions.

He looked as though he wanted to say something, but finally, he said: “I’d better go check on the creatures, they’ll need feeding as it’s nearly dinner…” “Oh, sure, okay, I’ll go see how Queenie’s doing” replied Tina as Newt once more descended into his case. He at least had that routine to rely on, to ensure he didn’t go mad with grief. Part of Tina wanted to follow him down there, to be in that strange world of multiple habitats and terrain within one place, and the other part ached for Queenie. Her sisterly love overcame all else as she found herself tiptoeing into the bedroom.

“Queenie?” she whispered softly as she walked over to the pillow. Her sister was asleep, pillow sodden, face pale, a look of distress on her face. Tina shook her head grimly as she cast a spell to dry the pillow and tucked the blankets around her sister.

Sliding the door shut behind her, Tina went to stand by the stove, and, for the sake of normality, however small, she began to make the evening meal, despite it being only three in the afternoon. Charming pots and pans out of the cupboards and setting a knife to chopping carrots, she began muttering ingredients and watching them zoom out from various places. Leaving the soup to simmer, she made her way once more to Newt’s suitcase. This time, however, she didn't knock. Instead, she tentatively undid the clasps. The case flipped open of its own accord and Tina waited a few seconds before stepping inside and cautiously walking down the ladder into the shed. Newt was nowhere to be seen, but then, that was to be expected. He was probably off somewhere with his creatures. Pushing open the shed door, she was instantaneously bathed in sunlight, a stark contrast to the weather outside the case. It was still pouring. Still no sign of Newt, she ventured further into this strange world of the case until she saw the Bowtruckle Tree and a figure hunched on the ground beside it. Newt. Tina rushed forwards, acting on impulse to see if he was all right. Was he hurt?

“Newt?” she whispered in his ear, crouching down beside him. He looked up, another distressed face, and probably not the last she’d see before the day was done.

“I lost another one.” He meant the Obscurial, Credence. This brought tears to Tina’s eyes, and she let them course down her face, forming the familiar tracks as she remembered going to Credence’s aid when his mother beat him, comforting him, going for walks in Central Park when he was able to get away… the time she attacked that woman when she was about to strike him…and now…

“If I had just got there sooner I could have—” “If we had stopped Graves, if I had found out that he was really Grindelwald, maybe we could have had a chance to stop him influencing Picquery and she would never have given the order to k-k-kill him” said Tina. She winced at the brutality of the memory. This would never fade.

“But I’ll never stop feeling as though maybe there was something I could have done. It’s like Sudan all over again. Except this time, we tried together. And if we tried together and we could not save him, what does that make us?”

“How could I have not realised it wasn’t Graves but Grindelwald… I _worked_ with him before I was demoted for mercy’s sake”

“Tina…”

The two just sat there, in front of the Bowtruckle Tree, leaning against each other for support, just knowing the other was there was enough, staring into the hazy distance. Finally, Tina let out a deep breath: “Newt, it’s like you told me before, it will heal in time,” and she squeezed his hand.

“I suppose you’re right, Teen.” Newt froze, realising what he had just said, and turned towards Tina, who had at first blushed crimson, but then looked at him with a kind of awe and fondness that she only reserved for a few. She didn’t mind him calling her Teen, even though the only person she ever allowed to do that was her sister. With that she squeezed his hand once more and rose, drying her eyes on her sleeve and trying to keep a watery smile in place.

“I’d better go, I left the soup on the stove…”

“Yes… okay… sure… I’ll come too” said Newt, becoming bashful again. As they ascended the stairs and entered the kitchen, Tina became surprised to find Queenie standing in her slip over the stove. She smiled wanly when she saw them come in, and read their thoughts.

“I thought you were asleep”

“I was… but then I felt hungry… I haven’t eaten since yesterday evening, and I’m sure you must be famished too. Besides, the soup needed more stock.” Then Queenie’s eyes went wide as she looked straight as Newt, and she dropped the spoon into the pot and hurried from the room. Tina turned to look at Newt, questioningly for she had followed her sister’s gaze to where it rested on Newt. Newt remained impassive and Tina turned on her heel and went to follow her sister.

“Queenie, what’s happened? What’s wrong?”

“Tina, it’s Newt.”

“What about him?” asked Tina, confused.

“He’s leaving tomorrow.”

“WHAT?” cried Tina incredulously, refusing to believe.

“I know, he hasn’t told you, but his thoughts are so loud and I couldn’t take it anymore. He just doesn’t know how to tell you is all. First Jacob gone and now Newt’s going and leaving you” Queenie was sobbing now Tina blushed crimson at the way Queenie said “you” but blanched at the fact he was leaving so soon. Tomorrow. How could she get through this? “Oh, Teenie, we’ll manage somehow, and maybe he’ll return?” Tina knew she didn’t just mean Newt.

“You’re right, Queenie, we have each other, we’ve always relied on each other since we were kids. We’ll get through this, you’ll see,” sniffed Tina, not sure whether she was trying to convince herself or her sister more. The two sat there, holding each other tightly, each trying to comfort the other, to ease the pain, until Queenie sat up straight.

“Newt. Dinner.”

“Oh, yeah, we should probably go before he wonders what’s happened to us… or burns down the place,” said Tina, bravely trying to keep a smile fixed to her face, but failing miserably. It turned out more as a grimace. She looked to Queenie. The usually cheerier of the two seemed to be having the same trouble.

“Let’s try again, together.” Queenie said as they turned to face each other, squeezing each other’s’ hands for comfort. Unlocking the door to which Tina had cast a silencing spell to, the two walked out into the adjoining kitchen-diner to find Newt, stirring the soup cautiously with a flick of his wand. He looked up when the sisters walked into the room, and, losing concentration, an acrid smell filled the air. He had burnt the soup. “Ugh,” Queenie grumbled good-naturedly, a fleeting shadow of her former self.

“You are so like Tina, I’m surprised she passed basic household magic at Ilvermorny.” Tina blushed.

“I’m not that bad… it was going alright until Newt…”

“Oh, so he’s Newt now, not Mr. Scamander, huh, Teen?” said Queenie in an undertone as they began to salvage the meal, whilst Newt laid the table. “Shut it, Queenie,” said Tina, blushing again. She needed to stop this, it was ridiculous. Newt obviously didn’t have such feelings about her. Then…

“Oh, Teenie…”

“Don’t read my mind,” said Tina, closing the conversation. “Soup’s ready, Queenie… how’s the bread?”

“Almost done” she said, as she simultaneously raised her wand and guided the bread to the table. By the time it landed on the breadboard, it was fully cooked.

“Newt?” called Tina “Dinner’s ready.” Newt, who was looking at the photos on the mantelpiece of the sisters’ living room, trudged into the kitchen. Queenie read his thoughts and smiled, genuinely, for the first time since The Rain.

****

**Next day**

The dawn came in, grey across the New York skyline, and the Goldstein sisters were there to watch it come in from their apartment window. Everything around them seemed still, but time carried on, and that’s what hurt. They heard their alarm clock buzz at 7am, but it was unnecessary, neither of the two had slept.

“We’d better go get breakfast on, Newt’ll be leaving soon, and he can’t leave on an empty stomach.”

 _Trust Queenie to think of food and feeding people. In this way, she was just like mother had been._ Thought Tina

As they heated up the coffee (for themselves) and tea (for Newt: he was typically British), the door of the apartment opened and Newt walked in.

“Where have you been?” asked Tina.

“Me? I just went for a walk, early riser and all…” He had remembered to put up a shield so Queenie did not find out where he had truly been.

Queenie, perplexed at finding this barrier, looked quizzically at him. Tina did not notice this for she was too busy fixing eggs and trying not to cry. They ate their last meal in silence, Queenie being party to all the loud thoughts circulating the room.

_Jacob. Tina. Newt. Queenie. Does he love me? Could she ever? I wonder… I hope… What if…_

Queenie rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, _honestly, these two_. And then she remembered Jacob. _No, I will not cry. Not now. Tina was strong for me when I needed her, and so now it’s my turn to do the same._ It was times like these that she was glad Tina couldn’t read _her_ mind.

“Queenie, are you coming to the docks to see Newt off?” asked Tina when Newt went to check everything was secure in his suitcase.

“No, you know, I think I’ll stay here… I have a slight head cold and my nose feels rather stuffy. It was probably all that walking in the rain the other day” replied Queenie, easily faking a cough. She really didn’t feel like leaving the house. Not now, it was too soon. And, besides, she reasoned, she wanted to give Newt and Tina some time alone together before they too experienced another bitter parting. It seemed to Queenie as though December was always a month of partings: their parents had died in December all those years ago, their aunt, Jacob, and Newt.

****

The docks were crowded, but that was insignificant. The only thing she registered was the figure of a tall British man with a battered brown leather case. She wasn't even paying attention to where her feet were taking her anymore. The blood pounded inside her head and she realised that this was it. The end. She needed to say something.

“It's been—”

“Hasn't it?” Interrupted Tina, slightly awkward, but smiling now. An awkward pause followed, before Tina, breaking the silence, said: “Hey, Newt, I want to thank you”

“What on earth for?”

“For getting me back into the investigation team and all those nice things you said about me to Picquery”

“Ah, well, there's no one I'd rather have investigating me than you” Newt winced. This was not what he had been aiming for.

Tina merely smiled, slightly watery now, but she knew what he meant: “just… try not to need investigating for a while”

“No, back to the quiet life for me, finish the book…”

“I'll look out for it… ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them’”

Finally, Tina plucked up the courage as she remembered something Queenie had mentioned before the ordeal with the Obscurial.

“Does Leta Lestrange like to read?”

“Who?”

“The girl whose picture you carry.”

“Well I don't really know what Leta likes these days because… people change, you know? I've changed, I think… maybe a little.”

Tina smiled at this.

“I’ll send you a copy of my book, if I may”

“I’d like that.”

The two stared at each other for some time before Newt boldly reached out and tucked her cropped dark hair behind her ears, his hand lingering affectionately over her hair. And with one last fond smile between them, Newt turned to walk up the gangplank, then, stopped before boarding the ship and turned around.

“So sorry, but I was wondering if I may deliver a copy of my book to you in person”

“I'd like that—very much” exclaimed Tina, beaming truly now, watching as Newt finally boarded the ship, hand still raised to the spot he had touched her hair on, and disappeared out of sight, but, like Jacob, not out of mind. She turned finally, and walked away with a skip in her step.

He would be returning.

****

Back at the apartment, Tina found Queenie curled up, asleep. Her face buried into the sheets and her heart ached to the point of breaking. Her sister, her younger sister, the one she had sworn to take care of. The one she had practically raised. Suddenly, all thoughts of Newt were driven from her mind. Her sister was hurting, and she didn’t need to be able to read minds to work that out. Queenie had obviously tried to get dressed earlier for her shoes were on, so Tina slipped them off and placed them on the floor before unbuttoning her jacket and hanging it in the closet. She smoothed Queenie’s unkempt hair as she muttered in her sleep and turned over.

****

She walked out into the main room of the apartment and stood by the window, overlooking the crowded street below. Somewhere in the city, two sisters were grieving. In the Lower East Side, a man had just received a case full of occamy egg shells, and somewhere in the Atlantic, a man gazed out of a port hole, looking back towards the hazy land, not partially obscured by the thick fog.

“Tina,” he whispered.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, hopefully a new fic coming soon


End file.
